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Home > Species > Amphibians > Kottigehar Dancing Frog

Kottigehar Dancing Frog

Micrixalus kottigeharensis

About

The Kottigehar Bush Frog is only known from the type locality; Kottigehar, Kadur and from a recently discovered population at Bhadrea, India

The Kottigehar bush frog is adapted for life in forest streams, possessing large adhesive discs on the tips of their fingers and toes to grip wet rocks around streams and they also have powerful legs and webbed feet to negotiate currents. This species is part of the tropical frog family, Micrixalidae, which diverged from all other species of amphibian about 70 million years ago, around five million years before the extinction of the dinosaurs. This species is now under threat from habitat destruction mainly due to the agricultural expansion of cash crops such as coconut and cashew. It is unknown whether this species occurs in any protected areas. Further survey work is required to determine the current population status of this species. The investigation of the possibility and feasibility of implementing ex situ captive breeding programmes should also occur.

  • Order: Anura
  • Family: Micrixalidae
  • Population: Possibly extinct
  • Trend: decreasing
  • Size: 23mm

EDGE Score

EDGE Score: 5.93 (?)
ED Score: 22.4 (?)
GE / IUCN Red List (?)
Not Evaluated Data Deficient Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct

Distribution

This species is only known from Kottigehar, Kadur, and from Bhadrea, in the Western Ghats of India, around 1,000 metres above sea level.

Habitat and Ecology

This is a forest species, living around and breeding in streams. It is believed that the flowing water provides a high level of humidity that help maintains skin moisture for gas exchange and also streams provide a convenient method of escape from predators. Based on the ecology of other members of this genus, it is likely this species has aquatic larvae.

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This wordcloud illustrates the threats facing this species. The size of each word indicates the extent of a species range that is affected by that threat (larger size means a greater area is affected). The colour of the word indicates how much that threat impacts the species (darker shades of red mean the threat is more severe).

Crops

Threat wordcloud key:

Small area affected
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Large area affected
Least severe
Most severe
Severity unknown
Source: The IUCN List of Threatened Species. Version 2017.1.
Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org

Download the Survival Blueprint for this species below. Each survival blueprint is compiled by an EDGE Fellow working on the species with input from collaborators and stakeholders. The Survival Blueprint provides a status review (information on the distribution, protection status, habitat & ecology, threat and stakeholder analysis) and more information on the action programme listed here.  

Vision (30-50 years)

Long term and evidence-based conservation of amphibian diversity in the Western Ghats of India focussing on Micrixalus kottigeharensis as target species

Goal (5-10 years)

Increased scientific and public knowledge on Micrixalus kottigeharensis and its habitat in India and globally that can be directly applied for conservation activities

Objectives

 Priority
To determine species distribution range High
To understand the microhabitat requirements of Micrixalus kottigeharensis High
To identify major anthropogenic pressures for Micrixalus kottigeharensis High
To create partnership with local stakeholders and design a comprehensive guideline for amphibian conservation in the state High
To initiate policy level dialogues with higher authority to declare the species habitat as ‘local biodiversity heritage sites’ High
To determine the breeding behaviour of Micrixalus kottigeharensis Medium
Designing social media campaign to raise public awareness and level of understanding of Micrixalus kottigeharensis using various social media tools. Low
Download the full Survival Blueprint

Madhushri Mudke

  • Project name: Ecological Monitoring and Threat Assessment of Micrixalus kottigeharensis in the Western Ghats
  • Project site: Karnataka, India
  • Active: 2019 - 2022
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